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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Contact: Michael Budkie, SAEN 513-575-5517, 513-703-9865 (cell)

Negligence at Emory University Leads to Animal Deaths, Violation of Federal Law; Research Watchdog Files Complaints, Calls for Fines

ATLANTA, GA – Emory University should be fined tens of thousands of dollars because of a series of incidents over the past few years that have killed research subjects through negligence – including the deaths of an infant monkey and other animals, according to documents released today by a national research watchdog organization.

The incidents at Emory are listed in National Institute of Health and USDA inspection documents now being made public by SAEN, a nonprofit research watchdog based in Ohio.

Emory was cited by the USDA in 2013 for the death of a primate after it was returned by Emory workers to the wrong cage, and was mutilated and killed by other monkeys. This most recent negligence, said SAEN, occurred in 2012 when multiple voles were killed after Emory staff failed, over years, to provide water to the caged animals. This failure violated government laws.

And, in 2011, Emory self-reported the death of an infant monkey at Yerkes Primate Center. The three month old baby monkey became entangled in a fire hose that was part of its cage.

SAEN filed an official complaint against Emory University over the multiple violations of the Animal Welfare Act, noting, in a letter to Dr. Elizabeth Goldentyer of the USDA Regional Office in Raleigh: "I must insist that your office institute an immediate investigation. I know that your office considers major violations of the Animal Welfare Act to be very serious in nature, especially when these violations kill or seriously injure animals, said Michael A. Budkie, A.H.T., Executive Director, SAEN.

"Since Emory University has a long history of animal abuse which has led to multiple animal deaths, I must insist you take the most severe action allowable under the Animal Welfare Act and immediately begin the process of issuing the maximum fine allowable against Emory
University at the completion of your investigation – $10,000 per infraction," added Budkie.

The NIH reports and SAEN's Official Complaint are available upon request from SAEN.

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See also:

• Emory University, Atlanta, GA

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